Coffee customs

Coffee around the world

The modern coffee culture originated in Western Europe in the eighteenth century, but today it is spread across the globe, albeit with preparations and consumption habits that differ by country.

The largest consumer country is the United States, with 16% of world volume, followed by Brazil, the largest producing country, with 11%.

But the highest per capita consumption occurs, perhaps surprisingly, in Northern Europe. Finns, Danes and Swedes drink large quantities of coffee, and also pay great attention to its provenance and variety, preferring lighter roasts, and 'long' rather than short espresso.

Unlike the southern countries, where coffee is, above all, a social ritual and often enjoyed after a meal, in Central and Northern Europe it is mostly drunk at home mid-morning or mid-afternoon, frequently at a table laid with sandwiches and cakes.

Italy, the birthplace of espresso and coffee bars, is only in 10th place in global consumption: it is, however, one of the largest exporters of roasted coffee.

People in France also love espresso, and it is the focus of their breakfast along with baguettes and croissants.

Variety is appreciated in the United States, and people often experiment with different coffee blends, roasts and countries of origin. Coffee is drunk at home in the morning or after a meal, and often enjoyed in gourmet coffee bars and cafés with friends.

Coffee is consumed on-the-go everywhere from New York, where it is common to see people rushing to work with a tall paper cup in hand, to Tokyo where coffee is widely dispensed from vending machines, to Germany where 'standing bars' serve long or espresso coffee.

And happily, young people the world over are increasingly discovering the pleasures of espresso through cafés, Italian restaurants and travel.